You're Unhappy Because You're Not Progressing

The number one thing that drains my happiness is when I don’t feel that I am progressing. When I’m not growing it is difficult to see why I am doing what I’m doing in the first place. But the good news is that I have learned three ways to continually progress, and my hope is that these tips help you find happiness and grow:

1. Find your strengths and learn all you can about them.

This step helps you to stay curious about life. It also helps get you through the difficulty that can be found in practice, because it is much easier to show up for things that you like doing. When you are good at what you do, it is much easier to find the progress you are looking for.

2. Succeed at the right things.

So many times people find success in things that are more distractions than anything else. This point ties into the first point, but it is so important. I promise that when you find success in positively impacting people, you can’t go wrong.

3. And if all else fails, know the factors that are in your control and when to quit to make room for something better.

Sometimes there are factors outside of your control, and when you know what these are, your only option won’t be to keep moving no matter the cost. Knowing what is in your control can help reduce much pain and wasted time along the way. And when enough uncontrollable factors stack up against you, it’s usually a sign to change your course of direction. When you have repeatedly tried everything you can to make things better and nothing will change, the signs are pointing to turn your attention to something more life-giving than life-draining. Mental health is extremely important, and when progress isn’t being made, it is usually a better use of your time to find things that will push you forward rather than things that always defeat you. No, nothing in life worth having is easy, but it’s also a good practice to have a few wins before diving back into some almost guaranteed losses.